This week’s SmackDown featured live cut-ins from AT&T Stadium, site of Sunday’s WrestleMania 32.
Photos of the set being constructed have been circulating online this week, but this was our best look yet at the venue that will house WWE’s largest crowd in history.
Several fans from the Dallas area have noted that local advertising and merchandise at the WWE Axxess events are listing Triple H vs. Roman Reigns as a no disqualifications match. This opens the door for outside interference in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between the two.
Triple H defends his World Heavyweight Title on April 3rd at WrestleMania 32, and we’ll have live play-by-play coverage right here on Sunday night.
https://twitter.com/TheFrayMovement/status/715657523655651328
John Cena is a lot closer to being medically cleared than previously expected. Cena, who has been intensely rehabbing his shoulder following rotator cuff surgery back in January, is expected to be cleared very soon. PWInsider reports:
“John Cena is just about ready to return to the ring and is expected to be cleared anytime, if he hasn’t been cleared already.”
Cena was very public about his efforts to return in time for WrestleMania, but it wasn’t meant to be. He’s been doing plenty of media appearances on WWE’s behalf to promote WrestleMania and was backstage at Monday’s RAW from Brooklyn.
During an interview with FOX News conducted earlier this week, Cena explained the procedure that was performed, his grueling rehabilitation schedule and “sweet talking” doctors so they’ll give him the green light to return.
“I had a rotator cuff reattachment. I had an AC joint reconstruction and I had a giant arterial defect on the bone that goes into the ball in the socket in the shoulder. Basically, the round space was not round, it was cut in half. So all that had to regenerate and grow, but after over 400 hours of physical therapy, I feel pretty darn good.”
“The people who said conservatively nine months have now said well maybe I’ll reevaluate myself,” Cena said. “So I’m looking okay. I just got a little bit more sweet talking to do to the doctors so they can give me the green light.”
Surprisingly, WWE isn’t even advertising that he’ll be at WrestleMania, but he certainly will be backstage. Join us here all weekend for our non-stop coverage of everything Wrestlemania live from Dallas, Texas.
WWE Diva Charlotte will pay homage to her father Ric Flair this weekend.
Based on a tweet sent out by the reigning Divas Champion on Wednesday evening, it looks like her ring gear will be patterned after the robe worn by the Nature Boy during his retirement match back at WrestleMania 24.
Charlotte defends the (soon to be retired) Divas Championship against Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch on Sunday night at WrestleMania 32.
The past becomes the future! #WrestleMania32 @redheadedstitch #2ndNature pic.twitter.com/kYwZAi8TH4
— Charlotte Flair (@MsCharlotteWWE) March 30, 2016
Construction continues at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas ahead of Sunday’s WrestleMania 32 extravaganza.
This week AJ Styles sat down for an interview with Digital Spy to promote WrestleMania 32. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
The WWE Title picture & WrestleMania main event:
“I think that Roman Reigns is the guy for the job right now. I think him and Triple H are going to tear it up at WrestleMania. It’s a very exciting match that I think a lot of people wanna see.”
Not going to NXT:
“I wasn’t able to make that decision. But I’m very happy to be on the main roster…(Finn Balor) the perfect guy [to be holding the belt]. And he’s doing a wonderful job. He’s not the only reason NXT is doing so well but he’s definitely a big part of it.”
Facing Kevin Owens again:
“Then I go after a title and if it’s around Owens’s waist then I’m going to go after it. Kevin and I have wrestled before so we know each other very well, so it’s easy for us to get in the ring and do great things.”
AJ will be making his Wrestlemania debut against Christ Jericho this Sunday.
Following RAW, the card is set for Sunday’s WWE WrestleMania 32 pay-per-view from Arlington, Texas at AT&T Stadium.
WrestleMania Kickoff:
– The Usos vs. The Dudley Boyz.
– Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
– Total Divas (Paige, Brie Bella, Natalya, Alicia Fox & Eva Marie) vs. “BAD & Blonde” (Emma, Lana, Naomi Tamina & Summer Rae)
– United States champion Kalisto vs. Ryback
Wrestlemania 32 Main Show:
– WWE World Heavyweight champion Triple H vs. Roman Reigns.
– Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman) in a No Holds Barred Street Fight.
– Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker inside Hell in a Cell.
– Divas Champion Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks.
– Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn vs. Stardust vs. The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Zack Ryder vs. Sin Cara
– Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. The League of Nations.
– Chris Jericho vs. AJ Styles.
Plus, there will be appearances by The Rock, Steve Austin, John Cena, Shan Michaels, Mick Foley and more.
Join us here this Sunday for our Live Coverage of WWE WrestleMania 32.
NXT Women’s Champion Bayley recently spoke with Mike Mooneyham of the Charleston Post & Courier to promote Wrestlemania 32. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
Learning from Sara Del Rey:
“We’ve been privileged to have her. I always wanted to work with her. I got to have one match with her on the independents. To be able to train with her, with all her knowledge and with the group of girls that we have, is just amazing. She shows us cool things to try out, she teaches us about psychology. All the girls, including the ones at WWE, and the new girls all have the passion to keep learning and applying what they have learned. I’m very lucky to be in this position with the staff that we have.”
Joining Charlotte, Sasha Banks & Becky Lynch on the main roster:
“That’s the plan. When we first got together and everything started rolling and we had all these great matches, we said that one day we’d change WWE and we’d change the world. They’re already doing it (in WWE) and have been for eight months. The Triple Threat match at Wrestlemania is going to be incredible. It’s going to set the bar. I’m excited. It’s going to be a little easier for me when I get there because they’re setting the table.”
“Sometime this year would be cool, but I also said that last year. I’m not really in a rush with how good NXT is going. I’m at the top right now as NXT champion and we’re traveling the world. “I’m getting to be a part of NXT for their first time in many parts of the country. I’m happy that I’m here, but the ultimate dream is to be on the main roster. When that happens, I’ll be ready.”
Bayley puts her NXT Women’s Championship on the line this Friday night against Asuka at NXT Takeover: Dallas.
Will @itsBayleyWWE make it out of #AsukaCity with her title in tact? @WWEAsuka #NXTTakeOver #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/nLi7PKwWsb
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) March 25, 2016
Sports betting site Winner.co.uk has released the following betting odds for Sunday’s WrestleMania 32:
Keep it locked to SEScoops.com this weekend for our wall-to-wall coverage of all the WrestleMania 32 festivities from Dallas, Texas.
H/T: WWELeaks.org
WWE announced on Thursday’s episode of SmackDown that The Usos vs. The Dudley Boyz match, originally scheduled for WrestleMania 32, will take place on the kickoff show on WWE Network. Below is the current card for WrestleMania 32, which takes place on April 3rd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
WrestleMania 32
WWE World Heavyweight Title Match
Triple H (c) vs. Roman Reigns
Hell In a Cell for Control of WWE
Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker
No Holds Barred Street Fight
Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar
Triple Threat for the Divas Championship
Charlotte (c) vs. Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch
Handicap Match for the WWE Tag Team Titles
The New Day vs. The League of Nations
United States Title Match
Kalisto (c) vs. Ryback
Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Title
Kevin Owens © vs. The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Sami Zayn vs. Zack Ryder vs. Sin Cara vs. Stardust.
WWE Network Kickoff Show
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Adam Rose vs. Curtis Axel vs. Heath Slater vs. Bo Dallas vs. Kane vs. The Big Show vs. Tyler Breeze
Tag Team Match
The Usos vs. The Dudley Boyz
Sting recently spoke with WWE.com about his upcoming WWE Hall of Fame induction, reports of him being diagnosed with spinal stenosis and more. Here are some highlights:
– Sting revealed that he did not have surgery after suffering the neck injury in the WWE Night of Champions match with Seth Rollins last year. Two neurologists told him the same thing – he wasn’t having any of the side effects he should have had. Despite what he’s been through, he feels normal.
– Regarding TMZ’s report that he’s been diagnosed with spinal stenosis, Sting said, “I am not saying that is inaccurate. I’m agreeing there probably is spinal stenosis or cervical spinal stenosis.” He talked about different doctors giving different outlooks regarding his health and the health of other athletes. As long as he’s feeling alright, he doesn’t see the need to go under the knife.
– Had he not gotten injured at Night of Champions, he absolutely planned to compete at WrestleMania 32. “I would have loved to have done one more WrestleMania and I would have called it quits at that point. The Undertaker match — that’s what I wanted to do. ”
Head over to WWE.com to read the full interview.
WWE sent in the following press release on Friday announcing several WrestleMania-related events airing on the USA Network in the coming weeks, including the official WrestleMania Kickoff Show, a special episode of SmackDown with live segments and the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
USA NETWORK TO PREMIERE LIVE WRESTLEMANIA KICKOFF SHOW ON SUNDAY, APRIL 3
Special SMACKDOWN with Live Segments from AT&T Stadium to Air Thursday, March 31 and WWE HALL OF FAME Special to PremiereThursday, April 7
NEW YORK – March 18, 2016 – For the first time ever, USA Network, the exclusive cable home to WWE’s marquee properties, announces expanded access to WRESTLEMANIA, WWE’s biggest event of the year. Between March 31 and April 7, the network will feature multiple events, including a live, one-hour broadcast of the official WRESTLEMANIA KICKOFF SHOW, a special SMACKDOWN episode with live segments, the one-hour WWE HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY, and a movie marathon celebrating Dwayne “The Rock®” Johnson.
On Thursday, March 31 from 8-10PM ET/PT, SMACKDOWN will feature live segments from AT&T Stadium just days before WRESTLEMANIA 32.
On Sunday, April 3, USA’s live hour of the WRESTLEMANIA KICKOFF SHOW will start at 6PM ET/3PM PT and include the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, featuring 20 WWE Superstars. WRESTLEMANIA 32 will broadcast live from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. And leading in and out of the live kickoff show, USA Network will celebrate with a movie marathon featuring WWE homegrown star Dwayne “The Rock®” Johnson, with films including The Rundown, Faster, Fast Five and GI Joe Retaliation.
The night after, on Monday, April 4, an all-new WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW will feature the fallout from the action of WRESTLEMANIA 32.
Then on Thursday, April 7 at 10PM ET/PT, immediately following SMACKDOWN, USA will broadcast the one-hour 2016 WWE HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY special. WWE Legends including Sting, Big Boss Man and The Fabulous Freebirds will be immortalized for their accomplishments and contributions to sports entertainment in this year’s WWE Hall of Fame class.
In 2016, USA Network became the exclusive cable home to WWE’s marquee properties, offering fans the live WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW for three hours every week (8-11PM ET/PT) and SMACKDOWN on Thursdays from 8-10PM ET/PT. In 2016 to date, MONDAY NIGHT RAW is averaging 4.09MM total viewers, 1.91MM P25-54 and 1.87MM P18-49 L7 and SMACKDOWN on USA is averaging 2.82MM P2+, 1.23MM P25-54, and 1.15MM P18-49+ L7, making USA the #1 cable entertainment network across the key demos on Monday and Thursday nights. In 2015, the two programs reached 50MM viewers.
For more information, visit WWE.com and Corporate.WWE.com.
With just over three weeks until WrestleMania 32, ticket sales have ramped up and WWE has already broken the company’s all-time ticket record. As of last week, 84,000 tickets have been sold, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. WWE typically releases additional tickets closer to show time as the production setup is finalized, but the final number should be just north of 85,000.
WWE’s current attendance record was set at SummerSlam 1992 at Wembley Stadium, which had 79,127 tickets sold. WrestleMania III, which WWE often touts as the company’s largest crowd ever (“93,173”), actually had closer to 78,000 fans in attendance.
Going by WWE’s math and their habit of inflating attendance figures, it’s very likely that WWE will announce announce the WrestleMania 32 attendance to be over 100,000.
Just this week, Vince McMahon spoke to Brian Fritz of the Orlando Sentinel about the pressure he feels to make WrestleMania bigger each year. “I can say, unequivocally, that it’s a lot of pressure,” McMahon admitted. “Every year you have to outdo yourself. This year was difficult because John Cena was not a part of it. We have to reach way down and try and come up with things you haven’t done before and also hold back surprises that the audience does not know. They expect that from us.”
– WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels will be Jonathan Coachman’s guest on ESPN SportsCenter tomorrow for the weekly “Off The Top Rope” segment. HBK will be talking WrestleMania 32.
– The next Stone Cold Podcast on the WWE Network will take place some time during WrestleMania 32 week from Dallas. Steve Austin’s guest will be his former rival, Mick Foley.
– WWE has announced “Sympathy for The Devil” by Motorhead as another theme song for WrestleMania 32. Other songs previously announced for this year include “Hello Friday” by Flo Rida and Jason Derule, and Flo Rida’s “My House” single.
– WWE posted this video looking back at Shane McMahon’s career highlights:
On this week’s SmackDown, it was revealed to Charlotte that she’ll be defending the Divas championship against not one but two opponents at WrestleMania 32.
Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch were squaring off to determine the #1 contender when Charlotte attacked them both, resulting in a no contest Later in the evening, Renee Young caught up with Charlotte backstage and informed her she’ll be facing both women in a triple threat match.
WrestleMania 32 takes place on Sunday, April 3rd from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
One month out for WrestleMania, we’ve got an updated look at the betting lines for the top 3 matches. While a lot could change between now and April 3rd, here are the current odds:
We’ll be sure to post an update as these numbers move in the coming weeks.
– With less than 6 weeks to go until WrestleMania 32, WWE is going to have a very difficult time selling out AT&T Stadium and drawing more than 100,000 fans to the venue. On the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that WWE has sold a lot of tickets for the show – but far less than 70,000.
It’s highly unlikely they will sell another 20,000+ by showtime, so it’s going to be an uphill battle breaking the company’s [inflated] WrestleMania 3 attendance record of 93,173.
– Brock Lesnar is now being advertised for the April 4th post-WrestleMania edition of WWE RAW from Dallas, Texas.
– Here’s the latest from John Cena, who last week said he’s attempting to “defy science” with his recovery from surgery:
As the week and month come to an end, don't be defeated if you set a goal and didn't achieve it. Regroup, refocus, and restart #Nevergiveup
— John Cena (@JohnCena) February 25, 2016
Following Monday’s RAW, the following matches have been confirmed for WrestleMania 32:
Charlotte will be defending the Divas Championship against Sasha Banks or Becky Lynch. The two potential challengers will be squaring off on Monday’s RAW to determine which one will earn the right to face Charlotte at Mania.
It’s also likely that Stardust vs. Stephen Amell will take place on the show. According to the Wrestling Observer, WrestleMania will also include:
WWE Chairman Vince McMahon dropped an F-bomb on Monday’s RAW, and it was no accident. None of the rule-bending, such as foul language and blood shown on Monday’s RAW was a coincidence, according to Wednesday’s Wrestling Observer Live. It was reported that WWE is planning to make their television product more edgy from this week until WrestleMania.
There has rarely been foul language or blood on WWE TV since they announced in 2008 that their “family programming” had been deemed a PG television rating by their network distributors.
There’s no word on if WWE plans to keep up the more edgy material after WrestleMania or not.
WrestleMania 32 on April 3rd will be the biggest wrestling event of the year, and there are lots of festivities scheduled in Dallas that week for wrestling fans to enjoy. Here’s the complete schedule for WrestleMania week in Dallas, courtesy of PWInsider. All times listed are local.
WrestleMania week 2016 – Dallas, TX
Thursday 3/31:
3 PM – Jim Cornette Experience Live in Ft. Worth, Texas at the Ridglea Theater. For complete details, visit www.NWARingside.com.
6 PM – WWE AXXESS
7 PM – NWA Parade of Champions in Ft. Worth, Texas at the Ridglea Theater. For complete details, visit www.NWARingside.com.
Friday 4/1:
9 AM – 5 PM Wrestlecon Session One at Hyatt Regency. For tickets, visit www.Wrestlecon.com.
4 PM – WWNLive Experience: EVOLVE at Eddie Deen’s Ranch. For tickets, visit www.MoreThanMania.com.
5 PM- WWE AXXESS
7:30 PM – Ring of Honor “Supercard of Honor” at Hyatt Regency. www.ROHWrestling.com for tickets.
8 PM – WWNLive Experience: Combat Zone Wrestling at Eddie Deen’s Ranch. For tickets, visit www.MoreThanMania.com.
10 PM – WWE NXT: Takeover Dallas at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Arena.
Midnight – WWNLive Experience: Kaiju Big Battel at Eddie Deen’s Ranch. For tickets, visit www.MoreThanMania.com.
Saturday 4/2:
8 AM – Wrestlemania AXXESS Session One.
9 AM – 5 PM – Wrestlecon Session Two at Hyatt Regency. For tickets, visit www.Wrestlecon.com.
12 PM – WWNLive Experience: EVOLVE at Eddie Deen’s Ranch. For tickets, visit www.MoreThanMania.com.
1 PM – Wrestlemania AXXESS Session Two.
2 PM – Ring of Honor TV Taping at Hyatt Regency. www.ROHWrestling.com for for tickets.
4 PM – WWNLive Experience: SHIMMER at Eddie Deen’s Ranch. For tickets, visit www.MoreThanMania.com.
4 PM: Jim Ross One Man Show at Dallas House of Blues. www.Ticketmaster.com for tickets.
6 PM – Wrestlemania AXXESS Session Three.
6:30 PM – WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. Currently Sold Out.
8 PM – Wrestlecon Supershow at Hyatt Regency. For tickets, visit www.Wrestlecon.com.
8 PM – WWNLive Experience: Mercury Rising Supershow at Eddie Deen’s Ranch. For tickets, visit www.MoreThanMania.com.
11 PM: Jim Ross One Man Show at Dallas House of Blues. www.Ticketmaster.com for tickets.
12 AM – WWNLive Experience: Wrap Up Party at Eddie Deen’s Ranch. For tickets, visit www.MoreThanMania.com.
Sunday 4/3:
8 AM – WWE AXXESS
10:30 AM – Wrestlecon “Mania Memories” Brunch at Hyatt Regency. For tickets, visit www.Wrestlecon.com.
11 AM – 5 PM – WWNLive Experience: Tailgate Party & BBQ hosted by Terry Funk. For tickets, visit www.MoreThanMania.com.
2 PM – Wrestlecon Party Bus to AT&T Stadium for Wrestlemania. Price includes round trip transportation to and from event, plus snacks, drinks, gift bag & more. For complete details, click here.
5 PM – Wrestlemania 32 at AT&T Stadium. Tickets on sale at www.Ticketmaster.com
Monday 4/4:
6:15 PM – Monday Night Raw at American Airlines Arena. Currently sold out.
11 PM: Jim Ross One Man Show at Dallas House of Blues. Tickets on sale at www.Ticketmaster.com.
Following Monday’s WWE RAW, the top of the WrestleMania card is taking shape. The WWE Championship match was set at Fastlane and now The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar both have opponents locked in:
WWE Championship Match
Triple H vs. Roman Reigns
Hell in a Cell for Control of WWE
Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker
No Holds Barred Street Fight
Brock Lesnar vs. Dean Ambrose
Other matches rumored for the card include:
WrestleMania 32 takes place on Sunday, April 3rd from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Here’s the latest on several matches planned for WrestleMania 32:
– As of this writing, WWE is planning to feature two Divas matches on the card. One match will be for the Divas Championship, the other will be a multi-woman tag match to get as many Divas on the card as possible.
– WWE officials have finally decided who The Undertaker will be facing and it won’t be Braun Strowman, Kevin Owens, Brock Lesnar, Finn Balor or even John Cena. In a twist that will get a lot of speculation going, The Undertaker’s WrestleMania 32 opponent is somebody who is not currently an active wrestler.
Who do you think it could be? Comment on this article and let us know your pick. Our own Jonathan Fisher just wrote an article looking at the mystery opponent and why the ‘unknown’ will add some much-needed intrigue to the WrestleMania card and The Undertaker’s legacy.
Editorial: The Undertaker’s WrestleMania 32 Opponent Is A Mystery And It’s Better That Way
– After Stardust’s confrontation with Stephen Amell at Dallas Comic Con this past weekend, it should come as no surprise that these two are slated for a singles match at WrestleMania as well.
Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter
WrestleMania 32 is just over two months away and the top of the card is already starting to take shape. The injuries of John Cena, Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan and Nikki Bella have forced WWE to scrap their plans several times already and things certainly could change again. But as of this week, the top 4 matches for WrestleMania 32 are scheduled to be:
As we covered last week, Batista met with Vince McMahon face-to-face backstage at the Royal Rumble and respectfully turned down an offer to appear at WrestleMania. Vince reportedly wanted Batista to serve as the guest referee for Triple H vs. Reigns, but Batista wasn’t interested in the one-off appearance. He is said to be open to a final run with the company when his schedule permits.
Vince is also serious about getting Shawn Michaels to be a big part of WrestleMania. With Batista turning down the special referee spot, that opportunity could be pitched to Michaels instead. A likely scenario at this point would be The Rock in Reigns’ corner, Vince in Hunter’s corner and HBK as the referee in the main event.
Finally, Braun Stroman is making huge progress behind the scenes with his in-ring training. For whatever reason, Vince has him ‘holding back’ on television and not showing what he’s capable off. It looks like WWE wants to show some progression with his abilities in the coming months, but don’t be surprised if he starts showing off some impressive offense soon.
(Source: PWInsider.com)
Stephanie McMahon is working on getting in shape for WrestleMania 32. At last year’s WrestleMania, it looked like WWE was setting up a blockbuster mixed tag match featuring Stephanie & Triple H vs. Ronda Rousey & The Rock. Those plans fell through for various reasons and it remains to be seen if Stephanie actually wrestles on the card.
First #MidnightWorkout of the year with @DeFrancosGym! Time to get in shape for @WrestleMania! @TripleH pic.twitter.com/TnOlkjLRA3
— Stephanie McMahon (@StephMcMahon) January 14, 2016
In addition to the Triple H vs. Roman Reigns match, which as we reported on Wednesday night is penciled in right now as the planned main event for WrestleMania 32 this year, WWE is working to finalize the other top matches for the card.
The current plan is for The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar to both work against top heels. Kevin Owens, Alberto Del Rio, Bray Wyatt and Sheamus are all in the mix and could wind up in those slots.
Before John Cena went down with an injury, he was slated to wrestle The Undertaker in a battle of legends. Cena injury’s injury was so unexpected that WWE didn’t even have a backup opponent for The Undertaker, so his match is up in the air again.
WrestleMania 32 takes place on Sunday, April 3, 2016 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)